[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 109 (Wednesday, July 20, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1370]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       H.R. 2018, CLEAN WATER COOPERATIVE FEDERALISM ACT OF 2011

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 20, 2011

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 2018, 
the so-called Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act. It would be far 
more accurate to title this legislation the ``Dirty Water Act'' due to 
the damage it would inflict on our nation's waters.
  This legislation severely weakens the Clean Water Act by prohibiting 
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from challenging state water 
quality standards in cases when those standards threaten the quality of 
the nation's waters. Further, the bill removes the EPA's authority to 
protect water bodies and waterways from pollution resulting from 
mining, development and water resource projects. This unprecedented 
unraveling of federal authority would have very real and negative 
consequences for the country, especially my state of Minnesota.
  Minnesota is known as the land of 10,000 lakes. It is the headwaters 
of the mighty Mississippi River and the longest shoreline of Lake 
Superior--the largest of the Great Lakes. Our quality of life is 
inexorably linked with the quality of our state's rivers, lakes, 
streams and wetlands. Minnesota's economy depends on clean water to 
support its multibillion dollar tourism and outdoor recreation 
industry, which sustains tens of thousands of jobs. In addition to the 
economy, responsible EPA regulation helps to protect the health of 
millions of Minnesotans who rely on the Mississippi River and other 
surface waters for their drinking water. Minnesotan's strong commitment 
to clean water is best evidenced by passage of a state constitutional 
amendment in 2008 dedicating funding to protect and restore the states' 
waters--the first of its kind in the nation.
  H.R. 2018 undermines the ability of Minnesota or any other state to 
protect the quality of its waters. This legislation eliminates Clean 
Water Act protections that prevent states from setting lax 
environmental laws and weak enforcement policies that send pollution 
flowing over its borders into neighboring states. Minnesota's public 
health, economic vitality and quality of life should not be at the 
mercy of other states. H.R. 2018 is a serious threat to states' rights 
and demands a full and public debate. Unfortunately, House Republicans 
are rushing this highly controversial bill to the floor without holding 
even a single Committee hearing.
  The Clean Water Act is one of our country's most successful 
environmental laws. For over forty years, Democrats, Independents and 
Republicans have worked together to protect and restore America's 
waters using the authorities in this law. Members of Congress today 
have a responsibility to protect this important legacy. H.R. 2018 is an 
unprecedented attempt to dismantle the Clean Water Act and return to 
the days when waterways in America were so polluted they caught fire.
  H.R. 2018 is the latest in a series of Republican proposals that 
benefit polluters, not American families, communities or the vast 
majority of American businesses that follow the law. I urge my 
colleagues to oppose this legislation and put an end to the 
Republicans' dangerous policy of regulatory retreat.

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